Examining Stakeholder Perspectives: Process, Performance and Progress of the Age-Friendly Taiwan Program.

Since Taiwans age-friendly city (AFC) program was launched in 2012, the central government has provided various resources to the countrys 22 local authorities, including budgetary support, policy advocacy, and consultation from a team of experts. This study examines stakeholder perspectives on the process, performance, and outcome of the AFC program. A 53-item questionnaire was developed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline, including mechanisms and processes (20 items), outcome evaluations (23 items), and resource integration (10 items). There was a great difference found among scores between facilitators and experts for inter-exchange experience with local and international cities (40%) and monitor and revise indicators (37%) in mechanisms and processes, evaluate performance of indicators and action plans (37%) in outcome evaluations, and interaction between government and community (46%) and interaction between civil organization and senior society (39%) in resource integration. Clearly, facilitators showed overly optimistic assessments in AFC mechanisms and processes, outcome evaluation, and resource integration. The results showed disconnect between experts expectations versus actual practice conducted by facilitators. Implications of these findings are to integrate top down expectations with the realities of bottom up practice to design more realistic evaluations; continue to educate stakeholders about design, implementation and evaluation; and further integrate resources from government, civil organizations, and community

Controlling the Biocompatibility and Mechanical Effects of Implantable Microelectrodes to Improve Chronic Neural Recordings in the Auditory Nervous System

Implantable microelectrodes are useful for monitoring neural response patterns in the auditory cortex, however chronic neural recordings can often deteriorate with time (e.g. impedance measures across electrode arrays generally increase monotonically over the first 7 days post-implant). This problem is caused by the increasing spatial distribution of reactive tissue responses (corresponding to changes in impedance spectra along the electrode-tissue-interface). Therefore, the design of microelectrode probes must ensure that the neuronal ensembles lie within a cylindrical radius of the recording electrodes. In this chapter, chronic neural recording failure is examined via cortical spike patterns, histological analyses, indentation experiments, and finite element models. Next, the microfabrication of the “Utah” electrode array and the “Michigan” probe is compared to determine how their size, shape, and geometry address: (1) the spatial distribution of neurons (as related to recording quality); (2) the initial penetrating profile (as related to insertion killzones); (3) the reactive cell responses (as related to glial encapsulation); (4) the anchoring of the probe’s position in the tissue (as related to micromotions) and (5) the embedding of various bioactive reagents (ex: growth factors, anti-inflammatory drugs, etc.). Finally, a novel hydrogel “Dropping Method” is proposed for controlling the biocompatibility and mechanical properties at the electrode-tissue-interface

Effects of different ceramic and dentin thicknesses on the temperature rise during photocuring

AbstractBackground/purposeThe aims of this investigation were to describe the effect of different ceramic and remaining dentin thicknesses on substrate temperature during photocuring, and investigate whether the temperature increased by >5.5°C for different dentin/ceramic combinations.Materials and methodsThree groups of dentin thicknesses of 1.0 (D1.0), 1.5 (D1.5), and 2.0 mm (D2.0), and three groups of ceramic thicknesses of 1.5 (C1.5), 2.5 (C2.5), and 3.5 mm (C3.5) were examined. Temperature changes and the maximum temperature were observed under a high-intensity halogen light (QTH-Atralis 10 ECS program at 1200mW/cm2 for 30 seconds, Ivoclar Vivadent AG, Schaan, Liechtenstein). Four groups, D1.0–C1.5 (+11°C), D1.5–C1.5 (+7.2°C), D1.0–C2.5 (+6.7°C), and D2–0C1.5 (+5.8°C), demonstrated temperature changes of >5.5°C.Results and ConclusionsA statistical analysis showed that separate individual thicknesses and combinations of dentin and ceramic had significant effects on temperature changes (P<0.01). It was observed that the ceramic exhibited a smaller temperature shielding effect than dentin. Clinically, it would be optimal to preserve the dentin to avoid damaging pulp tissues. Where there is insufficient overall thickness (≤3.5mm), continuous high-energy output photocuring should be avoided to protect pulp tissues from thermal injury

The challenge of predicting flash floods from thunderstorm rainfall.

A major characteristic of the hydrometeorology of semi-arid regions is the occurrence of intense thunderstorms that develop very rapidly and cause severe flooding. In summer, monsoon air mass is often of subtropical origin and is characterized by convective instability. The existing observational network has major deficiencies for those regions in providing information that is important to run-off generation. Further, because of the complex interactions between the land surface and the atmosphere, mesoscale atmospheric models are currently able to reproduce only general features of the initiation and development of convective systems. In our research, several interrelated components including the use of satellite data to monitor precipitation, data assimilation of a mesoscale regional atmospheric model, modification of the land component of the mesoscale model to better represent the semi-arid region surface processes that control run-off generation, and the use of ensemble forecasting techniques to improve forecasts of precipitation and run-off potential are investigated. This presentation discusses our ongoing research in this area; preliminary results including an investigation related to the unprecedented flash floods that occurred across the Las Vegas valley (Nevada, USA) in July of 1999 are discussed

A study on Impressiveness Management of Internet Celebrities

The issue of social media has attracted much attention in the fields of information management and marketing. Recently, the live webcast service newly introduced on social media has renewed the issues. With the increasing popularity of social media, the live webcast service provides more opportunities of higher interactivity to Internet celebrities to communicate with Internet users. With frequent interaction with Internet users, the Internet celebrities construct their self-images and build a long-term personal reputation. Therefore, how Internet celebrities enhance their self-image and personal reputation is an interesting research issue. Specifically, this study intends to investigate how Internet celebrities employ personal impressiveness management to improve their personal image and branding. The corporate reputation formation framework was employed as the theoretical perspective to investigate Internet celebrities’ personal impressiveness management through social media

Self-Esteem, Resilience, Social Support, and Acculturative Stress as Predictors of Loneliness in Chinese Internal Migrant Children: A Model-Testing Longitudinal Study

The present study examined the risk and protective factors of loneliness among Chinese internal migrant children (CIMC) in Beijing, China, including self-esteem, resilience, social support, and acculturative stress. Longitudinal survey data were collected from a large sample of 4th, 5th, and 6th grade CIMC from three schools in Beijing, at four time points (N=862 at T1 to N=837 at T4) over a 20-month period. Grounded in the Cultural and Contextual Model of Coping and the Acculturation Theory, two predictor models of loneliness were tested with path analysis. The results yielded the following: a) the two predictor models fit the data well; b) CIMC’s T1 self-esteem and T1 resilience protected them against loneliness at T4; and c) CIMC’s T2 social support seeking was a significant mediator between self-esteem and loneliness, and between resilience and loneliness; and d) similarly, CIMC’s T3 acculturative stress was a significant mediator between self-esteem and loneliness, and between resilience and loneliness. The study’s results highlight the merit and importance of implementing theoretically-guided, model-testing research grounded in a prospective research design, to help advance CIMC research. Implications for future research on and practical support for CIMC are discussed